Psychiatrist’s View “in State Of Automatism” (Press, 16 March 1967)

Auckland's Supreme Court is currently hearing the trial of Doreen Ellen Davis, a 30-year-old nursing sister charged with the murder of her colleague, 40-year-old Raewyn Kathleen Joy Petley, at Whenuapai on 19 November 1966. The trial, which has extended to eight days, is presided over by Mr Justice Moller and is being evaluated by a jury consisting of three women and nine men. Doreen Davis's defence is being represented by Mr K. Ryan, while the Crown's case is being presented by Mr D. S. Morris and Mr J. G. Miles. During the proceedings, psychiatrist and pathologist Henry Charles Bethune provided medical insights into Davis's mental state at the time of the incident. He indicated that she may have been in a condition of automatism, specifically a form described as de-personalisation, where the individual feels detached from their actions. This could result in patchy memory, akin to a concussion, leading to confusion regarding events immediately preceding the incident, although Davis retained a coherent memory of past events. Bethune opined that Sister Petley might have self-inflicted the fatal wound to her neck, and noted concerns about her mental health, suggesting that she exhibited signs of depression, especially in the context of her self-medication with stimulants and a drug used to suppress sexual urges. He explained that those experiencing severe emotional distress often contemplate or commit suicide in unpredictable and shocking ways. Further expert testimony came from James Frederick Moodie, an Army doctor, who echoed the possibility that Petley's neck wound could have been self-inflicted. He described typical patterns of self-inflicted neck injuries, affirming that the characteristics of Petley's wound matched those patterns, though he conceded that another expert, Dr Cairns, had better access to the physical evidence. Additionally, Mary Webster Wilson, the Director of the Royal New Zealand Nursing Corps, testified about her prior encounters with Davis, recalling a meeting on 4 November where Davis displayed emotional distress regarding her job. She emphasised Davis's capabilities as a nursing sister, noting her efficiency in the role. During the trial, the defence is constructing an argument that highlights Davis's mental health status and the context of her activities on the night preceding Petley's death, suggesting that the events may have occurred without conscious intention or awareness from Davis. The jury is tasked with determining the circumstances surrounding the death, including whether it was a homicide or suicide, informed by the psychiatric evidence and testimonies presented.

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